


When Love Prevails

by LuvBusters



Category: The Real Ghostbusters
Genre: F/M, Fluff, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 15:33:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17124011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuvBusters/pseuds/LuvBusters
Summary: This is an alternate ending to the RGB episode “Janine You’ve Changed.” Just a little something I had on my mind; kind of a “What if.”





	1. The New Janine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janine is moment’s away from permanently transforming into a Lotsabucks.

Egon stood in front of Janine, taking off his proton pack. “If you want to destroy me Janine, I won’t stop you. But remember this: I love you!”

For a moment, Janine hesitated but then her eyes glowed a bright red. “I don’t believe you!” She shouted. “You all say the same thing: whatever I want to hear! But no longer!”

Janine caused a red stream of light to engulf Egon, lifting him up in the air twenty feet.

The others looked on in horror. 

“Guys, we’ve gotta do something!” Peter shouted.

“We can’t hurt Janine!” Ray pleaded.

“We can’t let her kill Egon either!” Peter replied.

“Wait!” Ray yelled. “I’ve got Plan B!”

Ray then pulled a device that looked like a bigger ghost trap from his utility belt around his waist.

“What the hell is that?” Winston asked.

“Our latest toy; me and Egon created this cage-like trap. Instead of busting ghosts and putting them straight in the containment unit, this will trap it but still allow us to study it,” Ray explained.

“Alright, let’s bust the demon and catch Janine in that,” Peter instructed.

Peter, Ray and Winston moved in, efficiently trapping the Lotsabucks demon. 

However, Janine’s attention was on Egon. She released him from the red stream of light, slamming him down hard onto the pavement. 

“EGON!” Peter shouted. 

Ray threw out the new device. He activated it, the device unfolding to become a “cage.” The bright white light enveloped Janine, pulling her into the cage. Her screams could be heard across the docks. Once inside the cage, Janine calmed down. She tried touching the sides, but pulled her hands back as if burnt. 

Peter and Winston rushed to Egon’s side. Peter knelt down and cradled Egon in his arms. Egon opened his eyes, struggling to stay awake. He had suffered a wide gash on the back of his head when he hit the pavement. Blood was everywhere. 

“Spengs! Come on, buddy. Hang in there! Stay with me, ok?” Peter pleaded.

“Head wounds usually look worse than they really are,” Winston whispered, trying to keep Peter calm. “Come on, let’s get him to Ecto, then a hospital.”

Winston and Peter carried Egon to Ecto-1. Ray said he would stay at the docks, keeping an eye on Janine in the cage. Winston would return to load the cage onto a trailer that could be attached to Ecto. 

On the way to the hospital, Egon started coughing up blood. 

“Winston! Hurry! He’s coughing up blood!” Peter shouted.

“Will do. He may have punctured a lung,” Winston suggested. “We’ll be there in about ten more minutes!”

Peter looked down at Egon lying in his arms. “If anything happens to him, I swear I’ll kill Janine myself!” He had a look of pure hatred in his eyes.

Winston heard the comment and drove a bit faster. He silently prayed that Egon would be ok. But he feared that things between them all and Janine would never be the same.

Egon was rushed to the OR for emergency surgery. After a quick evaluation, the doctor found that Egon had four broken ribs, one of which had punctured his lung. He also had a severe concussion and his left shoulder was dislocated. 

Winston and Peter were impatiently waiting in the waiting area. Peter was pacing back and forth. 

“That bitch better hope Spengs makes it,” Peter said angrily. 

“We Trapped the Lotsabucks,” Winston said.

“No, the OTHER bitch!” Peter replied.

Winston could see veins popping out on Peter’s temples, his teeth grinding. 

“Pete, you don’t mean that?!” Winston asked. “Janine is our friend!”

Peter glared at Winston. “I do mean it. She WAS our friend; she stopped being MY friend the minute she turned on us! I have no use for her now. If she’s completely changed into a demon, I’ll bust and trap her myself!”

“Let’s just give it time for everybody to calm down,” Winston said. “Egon will hopefully be out of surgery soon.”

Meanwhile, Ray was at the docks with Janine trapped in the Ecto cage. He wasn’t really frightened or even uneasy. Janine paced back and forth inside the cage. Her body hadn’t changed completely. She had developed fangs and her eyes were bright green that changed to blood red when she was using her powers. Otherwise, she looked the same. But she still wasn’t her original self. 

“How are you doing?” Ray asked. 

Janine glared at him, not saying a word.

“Come on, Janine,” Ray pleaded. “Talk to me.”

She walked up to the side of the cage where Ray was sitting. 

“I will speak when I have something to say,” she hissed. 

“Janine, I know somewhere in there you’re still yourself,” Ray said. “You just have to look inside to find it. Egon said he loves you; don’t you still love him too? You’ve been in love with him for years! You’re not ready to give up now, are you?”

Janine’s expression softened, and for a moment, she actually looked like she wanted to say something. But she quickly resumed the glare she had before. She turned and walked to the other side of the cage and sat down.

Ray continued to watch her, waiting for the next time she let her guard down. “You’re in there all right,” he thought to himself. “And eventually, we’re gonna see it.”

Back at the hospital, Egon finally came out of surgery. 

“Gentlemen, I’m Dr. Roberts. Dr. Spengler is in recovery and will be moved to ICU shortly.”

“ICU?! What happened?!” Peter shouted.

“It’s just as a precaution. Dr. Spengler’s punctured lung has been repaired, but he still needs to be monitored closely for the next several hours. I anticipate that he will be in and out of consciousness due to the concussion he has. The gash on the back of his head has been stitched and the dislocated shoulder reset. He will be on IV antibiotics as a preventative measure as well as some pain medication.”

Winston relaxed a bit, but Peter was still highly stressed out. 

“Can we see him?” Peter asked.

“After he’s been moved to the room and settled, yes,” Dr. Roberts said.

Thirty minutes later, Egon had been transferred to ICU. Peter and Winston stood by his bed. 

Peter stepped over and lightly touched Egon’s uninjured shoulder. “Hey Big Guy, talk to me,” he said softly.

Egon opened his eyes, squinting to try and focus without his glasses. He had lost them at the docks. 

“Is Janine ok?” Egon whispered.

“What?” Peter said, his body stiffening. 

“Is Janine ok?” Egon repeated, a little louder.

“She’s being contained in that new cage contraption you and Ray cooked up,” Winston spoke up. “He’s with her now at the docks.”

Egon smiled weakly. “Good,” he said as he drifted off to sleep again.

Peter stepped back from the bed and looked at Winston. “So he remembers everything and STILL wants to know if SHE is ok?!”

“Peter, calm down man or the nurse will haul your ass to the psych ward!” Winston said. 

“I can’t help it,” Peter said. “Egon is like my brother, and Janine almost killed him! And for what? Because she felt rejected? Couldn’t have what she wanted? Couldn’t face the fact that he might not feel the same way? Well, welcome to life, sweetheart! It’s a bitch! Learn and move on!”

Winston stepped back, realizing that he wasn’t going to be able to help Peter see things differently. At least, not yet.

“I’m gonna go back to the docks, haul the cage back to the Firehouse,” Winston said.

“I’ll be here,” Peter insisted. “As long as SHE’S there, I won’t be!”

Ray was still trying to get Janine to talk. “Egon has loved you for a while; he just didn’t know how to show it.”

Janine didn’t respond, but Ray thought he could see a few times where her eyes softened. He knew somewhere in there, the real Janine was still alive. He just had to find a way to tap into it.

Winston drove up in Ecto-1 with a trailer attached. He walked over to Ray. 

“How’s she doing?” Winston asked, pointing at Janine.

“Quiet. How’s Egon?” Ray replied.

“When I left, he had come through the surgery ok. He’s in ICU so they can keep a close eye on him. He’s got a bad concussion but they repaired his punctured lung,” Winston updated him.

“How’s Peter?” Ray was afraid to ask.

“He’s not good,” Winston said. “He’s with Egon now and refuses to come back to the Firehouse as long as Janine’s there. I’m worried, Ray. I don’t think he’s ever gonna forgive her.”

“I think she can be still be saved,” Ray said. “But it’s gonna take some work. I’ve been talking to her and from time to time, I saw the real Janine in there.”

“How come she didn’t completely transform?” Winston asked.

“I’m not entirely sure but I think she’s only partially transformed because she didn’t completely finish what she was supposed to do,” Ray explained.

Winston’s eyes widened. “Do you mean…?”

“Yeah,” Ray said. “The Lotsabucks wanted Janine to destroy Egon.”

“So as long as he’s alive, we might have a chance of getting her back?” Winston asked.

“Exactly,” Ray answered. “Let’s hope Egon Can pull through.”


	2. Friends and Enemies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter stays with Egon at the hospital while Ray and Winston deal with Janine.

Peter sat quietly by Egon’s bedside, waiting for a sign that he was going to be ok. Egon had been sleeping for the past hour and a half but he wasn’t resting. He appeared to be having a nightmare; Peter watched as Egon turned his head slightly from side to side. Occasionally, he’d hear Egon mumble something but couldn’t make out the words. 

Finally, Egon opened his eyes. Peter sat up, quickly grabbing his hand. 

“Spengs! Hey buddy, how are you feeling?” 

Egon looked around groggily, taking in his surroundings. Then he looked at Peter, focusing his eyes. His next words made Peter’s blood run cold.

“Is Janine ok? Did we save her?”

Peter let go of his hand, standing up abruptly. “How can you be worried about HER?! After what she’s done to you!”

“She wasn’t herself, Peter,” Egon pointed out. “And I love her.”

Peter couldn’t stand hearing Egon say those words. A woman who they’ve known and grown to love in their own way has put Egon in his current condition. He was determined to keep Egon safe.

“I’m afraid not, Egon. The transformation has started. Ray and Winston are taking her back to the Firehouse,” Peter told him.

Egon’s head fell back against the pillow, his eyes seemingly staring off into another world. “I was too late,” he whispered. “Too late to save her.”

Peter sat back down next to the bed. “Ray will come up with something. Just concentrate on getting better.”

“Why would I want to get better?” Egon asked. “I wanted to begin a relationship with Janine. If I can’t do that, what’s the point?” Egon then turned his head away from Peter and looked sadly in the other direction.

Peter sighed and sat back in the chair. Apparently, Janine was the key in Egon’s recovery...or possibly his doom.

Back at the Firehouse, Winston and Ray were carefully settling the cage with Janine inside in Egon’s lab. Janine was curled up in the corner of the cage, hugging her knees up against her chest. Her eyes had changed to red and her fangs were starting to show, even with her mouth closed. She watched the men with the uneasiness of a wild animal.

Winston stepped back and looked at Ray who was squatting in front of the cage to talk to Janine. 

“Janine? How are you feeling?” Ray asked.

She didn’t respond, just stared at him with those red eyes.

It was very unsettling. Ray shifted, standing and taking a few steps back. Winston leaned over to him. 

“What do you think she’s doing?” Winston whispered.

“I don’t know,” Ray whispered back. “She seems really mad. But I know if I can just keep talking to her, I can get her to talk. I just hate to see her caged like this.”

“I know but that cage is keeping her contained. We can’t let her loose right now. Not until we’re sure she isn’t a threat,” Winston said.

Ray nodded in agreement. Winston stepped closer in an attempt to talk to her.

“Hi Janine. I know you don’t like being in there, but we don’t like keeping you in there either,” Winston calmly explained. “Why do you feel like you need to attack?”

Janine smiled, her fangs glistening. “I feel it necessary to attack anyone who stands in my way.”

“In your way of what?” Ray asked.

“My transformation is not quite complete. I will have perfection - no matter what the cost,” Janine said in a calm yet sinister tone. With that, she turned her back to them and stopped talking.

Winston looked worriedly at Ray. 

“Well, she did talk,” Ray pointed out. 

************************************  
The next morning, Winston returned to the hospital. Peter was staring out of the window while Egon was asleep. Winston stepped over, placing a hand on Peter’s shoulder.

“How’s he doing?” He asked. 

Peter turned towards Winston. “He’s resting. Had a bit of a rough night. Had nightmares.”

“How are YOU doing?” Winston asked.

“I’m fine. Where’s Ray?” Peter replied.

“He’s at the lab keeping an eye on Janine,” Winston said. “He’s convinced he can reach the real Janine.”

Peter shook his head. “There’s no reaching her Winston,” he almost shouted. “She’s gone. She’s turned into something that is now our enemy. We’ve gotta take care of her.” The tone in Peter’s voice was like steel - hard and cold.

“She’s not our enemy,” said Egon, his voice weak. 

Peter and Winston turned to see that Egon was trying to sit up. They rushed over to help him. Winston adjusted the head of the bed while Peter added another pillow behind Egon. 

“She’s not our enemy,” Egon repeated. 

“Spengs, just don’t worry about that right now. We need you to get better,” Peter assured him.

“You don’t understand!” Egon was getting annoyed. Actually, he was getting pretty damned pissed off. “I’m not going to get better without Janine!”

Peter and Winston exchanged a confused look. 

“What do you know that we obviously don’t?” Peter asked.

Egon took a sip of water before speaking. “Janine’s transformation cannot be completed unless I die.”

“Well, now I know you’ve lost your damned mind!” Winston said. 

Egon shook his head, trying to get them to understand. “But, if my theory is correct, I also need her to ensure I get better.”

“Alright Spengs. When, pray tell, did you have time to come up with this theory? And what is it that Janine can do for you that the doctors here can’t?” Peter asked. His tone was frustrated.

“The doctors are needed to heal me physically. But I need Janine here to refuse the final stage to stop her transformation.”

“And why would she refuse it?” Peter asked, his voice rising. “This is what she wants, Egon! She had a choice and she made it! It wasn’t YOU!”

“Pete, that’s enough!” Winston scolded.

“No! He needs to get this through his thick skull that it’s over! Janine prefers to change into a demon. If she gets one more shot at attacking him, she’ll kill him! And I’ll KILL HER!” Peter stormed out into the hallway.

Winston walked over to Egon’s bedside to try and comfort him. “He’s just worried.”

“No, he’s right. Janine has made her decision,” Egon hung his head willing the tears away.

“Ray seems to be convinced that there’s still a chance to reach her,” Winston said. 

Egon turned his head to the opposite direction. “I’d like to rest now, please.”

“Sure. We’ll check on you soon,” Winston said softly then left the room.

Winston found Peter by the vending machines down the hall. “He’s resting,” Winston told him.

“He must’ve been coming up with theories when we thought he was asleep,” Peter said absently.

“Pete, Egon’s slipping. I think he’s losing the will to live. He was holding on to the idea of getting Janine back and starting a relationship. Even if it’s not possible, I don’t think the right thing to do is to feed him negativity.”

“It’s not healthy to lead him on with false hope,” Peter said sternly.

“False hope?! You’re giving him NO HOPE!” Winston argued. 

“No! I’m giving him reality! He needs to come back to it!” Peter shouted back.

“I think you need to get out of here for a while,” Winston said. 

“I won’t leave him,” Peter said determined. “And as long as she’s at the Firehouse, I won’t be.”

Back at the Firehouse, Ray brought Janine a sandwich and a glass of water. He sat it on the floor by the cage where she could reach it. She eyed it suspiciously at first, then reached between the bars and took it. They sat in silence as she ate. 

Ray then brought a pillow and blanket. He had brought a small throw pillow so he could squeeze it between the bars. Janine took the items and after a few minutes, she fell asleep. Ray had turned to monitor the tests he was running. He had managed to get a blood sample and a DNA swab of her mouth when Winston was with him earlier that morning. It wasn’t easy; Winston held Janine’s arms back behind her through the bars while Ray pricked her finger. The swab of her mouth had been even trickier. Winston had reached between the bars and held her by the sides of her head against the bars. Ray then swabbed the inside of her cheek while she was thrashing and screaming. It had taken a while for her to look them in the eye again, no matter how many times Ray had apologized. 

Suddenly, Ray noticed that Janine was dreaming. She was shaking her head from side to side, mumbling something he couldn’t quite understand. Janine’s facial expression looked like she was very upset. Then he saw tears stream down the sides of her face. He scooted closer to the cage to hear what she was saying.

“Please, help me…..I don’t wanna die,” she whispered. “Don’t let me hurt Egon.”

Ray’s eyes widened. Quickly, he moved to grab the video recorder and turned it on. He sat it beside the cage where he could record her movements and what she was saying. The moment lasted about ten minutes, then Janine calmed down. She then resumed a quiet sleep pattern.

Ray quietly eased across the lab and called the hospital. He asked to be connected to Egon’s room. Winston answered.

“Winston! You’ve gotta get back here! I think I’ve got something!” Ray yelled.

“What?...Hold On Ray, slow down. What’s going on?” Winston asked.

Egon had awoke a few minutes before the phone rang. He and Peter looked at Winston anxiously. 

“Seriously?! No shit!! Ok, I’ll try. See ya soon,” Winston said. 

He hung up the phone and gave Peter and Egon a big smile. “Ray thinks we can save Janine, but he’s gonna need both of us, Pete.”

“Oh no! There’s no way I’m gonna go back there if she’s there!” Peter declared.

Egon grabbed Peter by the wrist. “Peter, please. If there’s a way, please help. For me.”

Peter’s expression softened. “Ah Damnit, Egon! Why’d ya have to say it like that?”

Egon smiled, then started drifting off to sleep again. Peter looked at Winston.

“Fine but if we can’t figure out a solution, she’s going in the containment unit!” he said quietly as they left the room.


	3. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janine is struggling with the hold the demon half of her has. It will test the guys’ trust in her.

Winston and Peter arrived at the Firehouse and went straight to the lab. Ray was moving around the lab excitedly, looking at the lab results. 

“Guys! Janine is trying to fight this!” 

Peter looked at Janine; she was awake and had again pulled her knees up to her chest and was sitting curled into a tight ball. Her eyes were still red and she returned a cold glare to Peter. 

“Whatcha got Ray?” Winston asked, pulling Peter by the arm.

“Watch this!” Ray shouted as he hit the play button on the VCR. 

They watched the footage of Janine’s dream. Ray turned up the volume so they could hear what she said. “Listen to this!”

Peter and Winston watched and listened intently. Clear as a bell, they heard Janine’s cry for help. She continued the same plea over and over until she awoke. Ray stopped the video.

“So what does this mean?” Peter asked. 

“It means Janine is trying to fight against the transformation!” Ray shouted. “We’ve just gotta get through the demon half.”

“Yeah, Real Easy, Ray,” Peter said sarcastically.

“Wait. If we can get her to sleep again, maybe we can talk to her while she’s asleep!” Winston suggested. “Maybe we’ll be able to talk to the real Janine while the demon half sleeps? She can tell us what to do?”

“Yeah! Sounds good!” Ray agreed. “We’ve still got a couple of over the counter sleep aids. You know, the ones we take occasionally when we’ve had a really bad day?”

“Yeah! Crush them into her water,” Winston said.

Ray ran out of the lab to retrieve the pills and a fresh glass of water. Winston and Peter walked back over to the cage. Janine continued her silent glare. Winston could tell Peter was struggling to maintain his composure. 

“Easy Pete, we need you on this,” Winston reminded him.

Peter took a few deep breaths to relax himself. Ray returned with the glass of water that contained the crushed sleeping pill.

“Here Janine. You don’t want to get dehydrated,” Ray encouraged, setting the glass inside the cage. 

Janine slowly scooted over to the glass and took it. The guys held their breath as she drank the whole glass full. They resumed talking among themselves until she finally slipped off to sleep again. Ray started up the video recorder again. 

After about fifteen minutes, Janine entered the dream phase again. The men watched as she again started to twist and talk. 

Peter sat next to her beside the cage. “Janine? It’s Dr. V,” he said in a soft, calm voice. “Talk to me kiddo. What’s going on?”

Janine’s face twisted into an expression of pain and sorrow. “I love Egon….please don’t let me hurt him,” she whispered.

“How can we stop this? Please Janine, tell us what to do,” Peter spoke again.

“When the moon is full, I must be in the same room with him. To rebuke this demon...I must...confess my love….the spell will be broken,” Janine said, almost breathless.

Peter sat back and looked at Ray. “Did you get that, Tex?”

“Yeah!! Every word!” Ray replied.

After that, Janine woke up, staring at Peter. “I can feel your hatred for me,” She taunted Peter. “Before the next full moon, I will finish this.”

Peter lunged forward, grabbing the cage bars. “I’ll bust you myself you worthless BITCH!”

Winston and Ray pulled Peter away from the cage. Peter jerked out of their grasps.

“Peter, please! We need you to help us!” Ray pleaded. “The next full moon is tomorrow night. We’re gonna need you to help us get Janine into Egon’s room.”

Peter looked at Ray, his face turning blood red. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?!” He screamed. “We take her straight to him?!”

“You heard her, Pete,” Winston said. “She has to be in the room with him. And the doctor isn’t gonna release him anytime soon. We have to.”

“And how the fuck are we supposed to get a damn cage inside the hospital?!” Peter retorted.

Ray smiled. “Me and Egon have another little toy.”

**********************************  
“A pair of handcuffs?” Peter said slowly, not sure whether he wanted an explanation.

Ray’s enthusiasm was obvious. “Kind of! They’re laced with a layer of positively charged mood slime.”

“So whoever or whatever is cuffed goes into Gaga mode?” Winston asked.

“Yeah But as a back up, Egon attached this small device on the side of the cuff that acts like a mini proton stream once activated. If the entity tries anything, one of us will have the remote to activate it. It’ll render the entity powerless until it’s deactivated,” Ray explained.

“Yeah But do we know if it works?” Peter asked skeptically.

“It worked on Slimer,” Ray said.

“So we walk Janine into the hospital wearing these?” Winston asked.

“If we can get them on her,” Ray replied.

Peter had his pack strapped on and powered up. Winston and Ray looked at him worried. 

“As a precaution,” Peter said, rolling his eyes. “Look, I don’t want to bust her, but I will if it comes down to it.”

“We need to be smart about this,” Winston warned. “I doubt Janine is gonna go willingly.”

“Maybe she will. She wants to see Egon,” Ray said.

“Yeah, But for the wrong reasons,” Peter pointed out.

The three men cautiously approached the Ecto cage. Janine stood slowly watching them carefully. Winston walked around the back side while Peter and Ray approached it from the front. 

Ray slowly deactivated the cage’s power source so they could open the door. “It takes a numerical code to deactivate it,” he whispered to Peter. 

“What’s the code?” he whispered back.

Ray turned to face Peter so Janine couldn’t hear him. “Janine’s birthday, two digit month, day, year. Egon’s idea.”

Peter felt like someone had kicked him in the gut. Egon had obviously never anticipated using this device on Janine. He couldn’t help but smile slightly at how the physicist had her in his mind, even with the most trivial of things.

“Ok, let’s go,” Ray said shakily.

Peter had his thrower in his hand, ready if needed. Ray looked back at him nervously.

“Just stun her, Peter,” Ray reminded him.

Peter just silently stared at Janine. 

As Ray opened the cage door, Winston quietly came up to Janine from behind. He grabbed between the bars and held her firmly by the upper arms. Janine screamed and tried to wiggle out of his grip, but Winston was too strong. 

Ray came forward and grabbed Janine by her wrists. He quickly slapped the cuffs on her and activated them. Janine immediately calmed down but continued to glare at them.

Winston released her and Ray escorted her out of the cage. Peter stepped aside but didn’t power down his pack.

“Peter, I think you can shut that off now,” Winston said.

“No way! Not until I’m convinced she can’t hurt Egon!” Peter declared.

“How can we get Janine in the hospital with the cuffs on?” Ray asked.

“Cover her arms with a coat,” Winston suggested. 

Just then, Janine jerked her arm out of Ray’s grip and bolted towards the door.

“Don’t let her get out of the Firehouse!” Ray shouted. 

Peter aimed the thrower and fired. He hit the light fixture above Janine’s head with a low powered stream. The fixture fell on the floor in front of her, causing her to slow down enough for Winston and Ray to catch her. 

“Get her back in the cage!” Ray instructed. 

They practically dragged Janine back to the cage. She was screaming the entire time. Winston moved back outside the cage and held her by the shoulders like before. Ray deactivated the cuffs and removed them. Then he quickly exited the cage and locked the door back. Winston released her shoulders.

“I don’t think we should risk taking her out in public,” Winston said.

“Agreed,” Ray said.

Peter powered down as Ray and Winston walked over to the far side of the lab to discuss other options. He stepped over to the cage, looking Janine straight into her red eyes.

“You’re tricky, aren’t you?” Peter taunted.

Janine glared at him. “If you want to destroy me so badly, go ahead,” Janine said cooly. “What are you waiting for?”

“You watch your step,” Peter warned. “As much as I love Janine, I’ll kill the bitch that controls her.”

Janine smiled. “You can’t have both.”

Peter stepped back a bit. “Neither Can you,” he replied. “The real Janine can have Egon but not the demon bitch.”

Just then, Peter saw Janine’s eye color shift back to blue, her expression softening. He stepped back up to the cage. “Janine?” he asked, hopeful.

Her eyes teared up. “Please, don’t let me hurt him.”

“We won’t, I promise,” Peter said, touching her hand that was gripping the bar. 

“If things go bad, kill me,” she begged him.

Peter stepped back in shock. “Janine, no! I couldn’t!”

“Please, I don’t wanna hurt anyone,” Janine begged. Suddenly, she screamed in pain and dropped to her knees. When she looked back up, her eyes were red again. The evil leer had returned.

Peter narrowed his eyes. “You’re not gonna win. We’ll get you.”

Janine laughed, an evil sound that sent chills down Peter’s spine. “Mere humans are so easy to manipulate! And easier to destroy! There’s no way you can win!”

Peter stood tall and confident. He walked back up to the cage. “Oh we’ll win,” he taunted.

“What makes you so sure?” Janine hissed.

“Cause we’re the Ghostbusters and we always save the fucking day!” he replied.


	4. Plan B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys hope to get Egon out of the hospital; they discuss Plan B.

Peter joined Ray and Winston across the room. “So, what’s Plan B?”

“Since it’s too risky to take Janine to Egon, we have to bring him to her,” Ray said.

“How do we talk the doctors into releasing him?” Peter asked.

“Technically, the doctor has done all he can,” Winston said. “His ribs just need time to heal as well as his shoulder. We could argue that he would recover better at the Firehouse?”

“Or we could just level with the staff; tell em either we take Egon home to heal or they’ll have a very pissed off demon to deal with!” Peter added.

“How about we use that if the other way doesn’t work?” Winston said, giving Peter a smirk.

At the hospital, Peter, Winston and Ray spoke with Egon first to let him know what they had tried and about Plan B. 

“It’s a shame the handcuffs didn’t work,” Egon sighed.

“They worked; Janine just tried to run,” Ray corrected. 

“Maybe you should make another set for the ankles?” Peter joked. 

“Not a bad idea,” Ray mused. “Guess we never thought about using them on a possessed human.”

Egon looked deep in thought. “Has she displayed any signs of trying to break free?”

Peter stepped up to Egon’s bedside and laid his hand on his shoulder. “I saw it earlier today. Her eyes changed from red to blue for a minute. She asked me to kill her so she doesn’t hurt us.”

Everyone’s eyes widened in shock. “You told her no, right?!” Egon demanded.

“Of course! But I’ve gotta level with ya Spengs. She’s making it really hard not to. She’s pushing every button I’ve got and I’ve snapped more than once at her,” Peter admitted.

“It’s the demon, Peter; not Janine,” Egon said dryly.

“I know,” Peter said, walking across the room to look out of the window.

“This is tearing him apart, Egon,” Winston explained quietly. “There’s a part of him that wants to protect you, but he also wants to help Janine, too. I’m starting to wonder if maybe….maybe it’s too late?”

“No! It can’t be!” Egon said a little louder than he had intended. 

“We need to get you back to the Firehouse,” Ray said. “There was a moment while she was sleeping, Peter was able to talk to her. She said during the next full moon, she has to be in the same room with you. To rebuke the demon, she must admit her feelings.”

Egon again sat deep in thought. “The next full moon is tomorrow!”

“Which is why we have to get you out of here,” Winston added. “If the doctor has done all he can do, then we’re hoping we can get him to agree to release you, let you finish healing at home.”

“I could always sign myself out against medical advice?” Egon suggested.

“Let’s use that as a last resort,” Peter said rejoining the group.

“The doctor won’t make his rounds again until tomorrow morning,” Egon said.

“Then we’ll be back early tomorrow!” Ray said energetically.

Winston and Ray turned to leave, then they noticed Peter had sat down in the chair next to Egon’s bed.

“I’ll stay here, in case the doc comes in extra early,” Peter said. The look on his face said that he didn’t want to go back to the Firehouse. 

Winston nodded, then he and Ray left. 

Egon waited a few beats, then turned to Peter. “What’s going on, Peter? Why don’t you want to go back?”

Peter looked at Egon, his eyes hardening. “I’m afraid to be around her,” he admitted quietly. 

Egon looked confused. “Afraid? Of Janine?!”

“Afraid I might actually kill her,” Peter whispered. He looked ashamed for saying it.

Egon sat quietly, thinking about what Peter had just said. “What makes you think you might?”

Peter shook his head. “She says things to me...she taunts me...tries to hit my nerves. And the way she does it….the look on her face. It’s like she’s getting some sort of sick enjoyment out of it. I know you love her Spengs and I’m sorry to say this. But if it comes down to it, I’m gonna choose to save you.”

Egon watched as Peter’s voice cracked at the last part of his statement, tears running down Peter’s face. Egon reached out weakly and placed his hand on Peter’s forearm. Peter looked at him.

“Then let's make sure we don’t have to make that choice,” Egon said with a smile.

The next morning, Egon’s doctor came in and examined him. Winston and Ray had arrived shortly before the doctor. 

“Your ribs are healing well, Dr. Spengler,” the hospital doctor said. “You’ll need to follow up with your regular physician to have the stitches in your head removed.”

“So, he can go home?” Ray asked optimistically.

“I see no reason why not. He’ll regain full use of his arm once the shoulder has healed, as will the ribs. There’s really nothing else I can do here,” the doctor smiled. “You will be weak for a few days; be sure to get plenty of rest.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Egon said. 

“I’ll have a nurse bring your discharge papers,” the doctor said before leaving the room.

“Good. We’ll get things straight with Janine tonight, and things can get back to normal!” Winston said with relief.

“If things go like we hope,” Ray added.

“And if they don’t, I’ll take care of it,” Peter said, his eyes hardened.


	5. The Fight for Janine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ghostbusters fight to save Janine.

As they arrived at the Firehouse, Ray helped Egon out of Ecto-1 and upstairs. They had all discussed their plan on the way back. Once the moon was visible, they would get Janine to the roof where Egon will be waiting. Winston, Ray and Peter will be ready with their throwers in case Egon isn’t able to convince her to rebuke the demon.

Egon wasn’t happy about the last resort option, but he knew they wouldn’t have a choice. He was confident that he could get through to Janine; he just needed time.

They all agreed it would be best for Egon and Janine if they not see each other until later that night. 

Peter walked into the lab and closed the door so Janine wouldn’t see Egon on the way to the bunk room. He slowly approached the Ecto cage. Janine stood and walked to the side that Peter was walking up to. She grabbed the bars and watched him intently.

“We’re gonna fix this,” Peter said calmly. 

Janine gave him an evil smirk. “Yes, I will complete my transformation, and you all will see my true power!”

“Your true power is your love for Egon. Remember that; he loves you. We all do in our own way,” Peter replied, trying to appeal to Janine’s true self. 

He stared her directly in the eyes. For a quick moment, Janine’s eyes changed back to blue. 

“Peter, please,” she pleaded, “kill me before this goes too far. It’s the only way. Egon will understand.”

“No, he won’t,” Peter said. “Janine, you’re strong enough to fight this bitch’s control. All you have to do is say you love Egon. Please, you can do it.”

Janine’s eyes changed back to red, the evil smirk returning. “She’s a weak fool! Why stop with one man when she can have anyone she wants now?”

“Because that one man is all she’s ever wanted,” Peter replied sternly. 

Ray and Winston came into the lab. They panicked when they saw Peter by the cage. 

“Peter! What are you doing?!” Ray asked cautiously.

“Relax Tex. Just having a chat with Janine and the bitch that’s controlling her,” Peter said casually. He walked back to where Ray and Winston were standing. “I tried to reach the real Janine; gave her a little pep talk to get her through this,” he whispered.

“Did it work?” Winston asked.

“For a minute, yeah! Her eyes changed back to blue,” Peter said. “But….she begged me to kill her.”

Their eyes widened. 

“Don’t worry,” Peter reassured them. “I told her to just admit her love for Spengs. Hopefully, she’ll come through.”

As the sun started to set and the moon was starting to become visible, the guys went up to the roof. 

“Egon, are you sure you’re up to this? You still look a bit weak,” Winston asked.

“I’ll be fine. Just give me time to get through to her,” Egon said. 

“She’s not herself, remember that,” Ray reminded Egon. “She’s probably gonna be saying some weird stuff.”

“I’ll be ok. Just make sure Peter doesn’t snap. He admitted to me that she has been taunting him, making him upset. He doesn’t even trust himself,” Egon explained. 

“Peter will be ok,” Winston reassured him. “I think he’s got a grip on himself.”

“Well, let’s do this!” Peter announced. He gave Egon a quick wink and reassuring smile.

Ray and Winston went down to the lab. Ray deactivated the cage door and entered. He slowly approached Janine while Winston stood by the cage, ready to catch her if she ran again.

“I’m not gonna use the handcuffs this time, Janine,” Ray said. “I’m taking you to Egon.”

Janine’s demeanor changed immediately. She relaxed and her stare changed to a much warmer expression. Without saying a word, she extended her hand towards Ray. He took it and held her hand tightly, giving her a nice smile. She willingly walked with Ray out of the cage.

Ray and Winston led Janine to the rooftop. Once she saw Egon standing there, her demeanor changed again to a mixture of joy and urgency. She pulled away from Ray and practically ran towards Egon. She came to an abrupt stop a few feet away from him. 

Peter was standing on the far side of the roof, in sight of Egon but not quite Janine. He already had his pack powered on, his thrower in hand.

Winston and Ray followed suit switching on their packs as well. 

Egon looked desperately at Janine. “I’m so sorry for everything, Janine. I love you and want you to come back.”

Janine leered evilly at him, her body starting to glow faintly around her as she rose several feet in the air. Her eyes were red again. “You actually think that will stop me?!”

“Please Janine! Hear me! Listen to your heart! What does your heart tell you?” Egon begged. 

For a moment, Janine seemed to hesitate, the look on her face becoming confused. Egon took a step towards her, reaching out his hand. 

Janine started to reach out but, at the last second, she pulled away, her evil leer reappearing. “You pitiful fool! I’m so close to completing my transformation, do you honestly think you have a chance?!”

“You always have a chance, Janine! I know you love me, but you have to say it!” Egon urged.

“NEVER!” Janine screamed. She then created a red ball of energy in her hand and blasted Egon with it. 

“NO!” Peter yelled, running out into the open. 

“Peter! DON'T!” Winston yelled.

Janine turned and blasted Peter with the same force she hit Egon with. Peter stood up, slightly dazed but otherwise unaffected. Egon, however, still not completely recovered from his previous injuries, lay on the rooftop, trying to regain his breath.

Winston fired his proton stream just to the left of Janine as a warning shot. “Tell this demon to take a hike, Janine!”

Ray did the same, firing a warning shot to her right. 

Janine fired another blast that hit between where Winston and Ray were standing. It shook them off balance, causing them to struggle to stay upright.

Peter wanted one last chance to try and reason with her. “Janine, listen to me! Look inside your true self; find the part of you that wants to be free! The part that wants to cozy up with Egon on the couch; the part that wants to sit at the desk and bust my balls on a daily basis! The part of you that wants to live a happy life with us, with Egon.”

Janine struggled inwardly, thinking about what Peter had said. She was obviously fighting within herself, trying to break free. But the demon side was very strong. 

She again blasted Peter, knocking him back a few yards. Winston and Ray looked helplessly at Egon, who was still attempting to regain his composure enough to fight back. No one wanted to do what had to be done. But they had given Egon the opportunity he needed; if it was going to work, it would have by now. 

Janine turned towards Egon. “I will complete my transformation!” She hovered closer to where he was.

As Egon laid on the rooftop, too weak to move, Peter fired up his thrower and aimed it at Janine. 

“”PETER, NO!” Winston and Ray shouted together.

“She’s not gonna kill Egon!” Peter yelled back, tears streaming down his face. 

Janine looked back at Peter. For a brief moment, her expression changed to one of despair and panic. She had overridden the demon half for a short time. 

“DO IT! PLEASE!! DO IT NOW!!” Janine pleaded. 

Peter struggled with what to do. He had to protect Egon, a friend as close to him as a brother. But he didn’t want to hurt Janine either. He had grown to love her like a sister. Finally, he took aim again, preparing to pull the trigger.

Winston pushed the thrower down, stopping Peter just in time. “PETE, NO!”

“PLEASE, DO IT! I DON’T WANT TO HURT YOU! I DON’T WANT TO BE PERFECT ANYMORE! I WANT TO END THIS! EGON, I LOVE YOU!!” Janine screamed. 

Suddenly, a bright light engulfed Janine. The guys weren’t able to see anything for a few moments. After the light subsided, they all looked at Janine, including Egon. 

Janine was lying on the rooftop unconscious. Winston ran to her side and knelt next to her checking for a pulse. He could feel a steady beat under his fingertips which he had placed on her neck. 

Peter and Ray helped Egon sit up. He was eager to get to Janine, but he was too weak to stand. 

Winston picked up Janine and cradled her in his arms.”I’ll take her to the bunk room.”

The others nodded. As Winston rushed Janine downstairs, Peter and Ray helped Egon stand.

“Come on Big Guy, let’s get you down there, too,” Peter said as he breathed a sigh of relief.

Egon insisted on joining Winston and Janine in the bunk room. “I need to see her, make sure she’s alright.”

As they entered the room, Winston had laid a cool washcloth on Janine’s forehead. She was still unconscious. Egon sat down on the bed beside where she was and gently took her hand in his. 

“Please Janine, wake up,” he whispered.

After a long two minutes, Janine’s eyes slowly opened. She sat up, jerking her hand away from Egon’s hold.

“No! Please, leave me alone! All of you!” She screamed, panic in her eyes and voice.

“Let me talk to her,” Peter told the guys. 

They nodded and left the room. Egon seemed crushed but Peter gave his shoulder a quick squeeze. When Egon looked at Peter, he just gave him a wink. Egon smiled back and closed the door.


	6. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter talks to Janine to help her recover from her ordeal.

Peter sat down on the bed next to Egon’s bed where Janine was sitting. He faced her but kept his hands in his lap. He smiled. 

“Janine, tell me what’s wrong,” he said in a calm, soothing voice.

Janine looked at Peter. She looked lost, not sure what to say or where to start. “I….I’m scared,” she said in a small voice.

“Of what?” Peter asked.

“That none of you will trust me again,” Janine whispered.

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Peter reassured her, giving Janine a genuine smile. “We all understand what you’ve been through.”

Janine shook her head. “No, not Egon. And I don’t blame him. I don’t blame any of you. You’ll have my letter of resignation by tomorrow morning.”

Peter lunged forward, grasping Janine’s hands in his. “No! Janine, no! You’re not gonna quit! There’s no need to!”

Janine burst into tears. “I don’t trust myself; how can you guys?!”

“Give it time, Janine. You’re in an emotional upheaval right now. You just defeated the hold a powerful demon had over you. You’ve been through a lot. Give yourself time to rest. Things will look better in the morning and even better than that in the coming days,” Peter assured her.

He pulled Janine into a tight hug. It took a minute, but she eventually returned the embrace. 

“We’re gonna get you through this,” Peter whispered in her ear. 

“Thank you,” Janine whispered back.

“For what?” 

“For not killing me like I had asked,” Janine replied.

Peter sat back, looking at her very seriously. “Don’t say that.”

“Why not?” Janine pulled back, confused.

“Because…,” Peter hung his head. “I don’t deserve it.”

“Of course you do!” Janine argued.

“Damnit Janine! I WAS gonna do it! I thought you were gonna kill Egon! It tore me apart, but God help me, I WAS going to do it!” Peter yelled. Then he broke down into tears.

Janine reached out and held his hand. “You were protecting him. That’s something any good friend would do.”

Peter looked at her, wiping his tears. “I can’t choose between the two of you. No more than I could choose between Winston and Ray. But we tried to give Egon time to talk you down. When it didn’t work, we didn’t know what else to do.”

Janine leaned in and gave Peter a kiss on his cheek. “And you’ve known Egon a lot longer than me. Besides, I asked you to do it, remember?” She smiled warmly at him. 

Peter smiled back. “I’m supposed to be counseling you,” he laughed.

“I think we’re all gonna need to help each other,” she said. 

Peter noticed how exhausted Janine looked. “Look, you need to rest.” He got up and walked towards the door. “But talk to Spengs first.”

Janine nodded. Peter opened the door and went to the rec room to get Egon. 

Egon looked at Peter with apprehension. “Is she alright?”

“She’s good. Just shaken up at first but now, she needs some rest. I asked her to see you first though,” Peter replied with a wink.

Egon slowly approached the bunk room. He had regained some strength but was still sore. As he opened the door, he cautiously peeked inside. 

“Please, come in,” Janine said. 

Egon walked in, leaving the door ajar just a bit. He sat down on the edge of his bed, hesitantly reaching for her hand. 

Janine reached out and took his hand in hers. She spoke softly as she looked down at their fingers intertwined. 

“I….I...don’t know what to say. There’s so much to explain….I’m sorry...for everything. I offered to resign but Peter wouldn’t allow it. I don’t know if you can ever trust me again; I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t. But…..I….I do love you, Egon. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to make it up to you, but….,” her voice trailed off.

Egon cupped the side of her face with his free hand. “I love you too Janine. No, you are not going to quit. We’ll work through this. As far as trusting you? I would trust you with my life.”

“How can you say that?! I almost TOOK your life!” Janine cried. 

Egon was at a loss for words, so he wrapped his arms around Janine and kissed her deeply on the lips. She hesitated at first but quickly returned his embrace and kiss.

As they broke away, Egon smiled. “Now, rest. We’ll talk more later.”

“About what?” Janine asked as she started to lay down. 

Egon covered her with a blanket and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Our first date….as well as “other” firsts.”

He gently kissed her temple and headed towards the door. 

Janine blushed and smiled. She was happy for the first time in a long time….truly happy.


End file.
